If I Am Asked to Interview, Does That Mean I Will Get an Offer?

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If I Am Asked to Interview, Does That Mean I
Will Get an Offer?
BCG ATTORNEY SEARCH
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Q I have read the advice that if you are
extended an interview, you have a real chance at
getting the job.  was not on law review at my
school and I did not graduate in the top 20
percent (though my grades were pretty good,
especially in my second and third years). But, I
do have interesting extras which would arguably
make me a strong candidate for an entry-level IP
associate position.What is my appropriate frame
of mind when I am actually going to or in an
interview session at one of these big law firms?
Is it realistic for me to think that I have a
very good chance at getting the job, especially
if the firm bothers to fly me out there,
etc.?See Law Firm Interview Resources for more
information. AnswerYou would be the only
person to notice but I have edited down your
inquiry simply because you have asked a number of
questions that can't be answered in one column.
Perhaps over the next few columns I will be able
to address some of the other issues that you have
raised.
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For now though, let's take a look at the question
at hand if you are asked to come to a firm for
an interview, the chances are good that you will
get the job. Oh, I wish that were true. What a
wonderful world this would be if every time
someone was invited over to a firm for an
interview, an offer of employment was not far
behind.Unfortunately, this couldn't be farther
from the truth. Just because you are invited to
interview with a firm does not mean that you are
going to receive a job offer. It doesn't even
guarantee that you will receive an invitation to
return for more advanced interviewing rounds. Of
course, you could always say that your chances of
receiving a job offer are much better if you are
invited to the firm for an interview than for
those who don't interview with the firm at all.
But now I am just being silly.I wonder what
books are advising you that you will receive an
offer if you accept an invitation for an
interview? I suggest that you put those books
away for the time being because that is not the
best advice to take into an interview. If you
walk into a meeting with a law firm thinking that
an offer is forthcoming, you might find that you
need an attitude adjustment. Interviewing is
tough and extremely competitive, particularly in
today's economic climate. Granted, a positive
attitude is the best way to tackle any situation,
including interviews. However, it is important to
keep in mind that nothing is a given and that you
must sell yourself in order to get asked back for
more interviews before an offer can even be
mentioned.
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See the following articles for more
informationSurround Yourself with Positive
People Concentrate on the Positive, Not the
Negative The Top Five Ways to Be Positive (When
Everyone and Everything around You is Bringing
You Down) The Power of the Positive Your mindset
as you walk into an interview should be positive,
but always with the thought in your mind that
there are many other candidates out there who are
probably interviewing for the same opportunity.
Your mission on a first interview is to make sure
that you secure a call-back or advanced round
interview. You must prepare yourself for your
interview with that goal set as the main
objective of the meeting.I do think that it is
a positive sign that the firm is willing to fly
you out to their location however, I cannot
begin to tell you how many people are reimbursed
for traveling to an interview but do not get any
farther than that first meeting. As I have said
so many times before, first impressions are
critical. It has been my experience that a
decision to not hire someone is made in the first
60 seconds of an interview. Mind you, I said a
decision not to hire. It is so important to make
a good initial impression so that the interviewer
will want to continue on with the interview with
an open mind, not with the mindset that you are
not going to be hired.
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Once you have made that all-important positive
first impression, you must continue on in the
same manner so that at the end of the meeting the
interviewer wants to bring you back for more
advanced rounds. If the interviewer perceives
that you are overly confident or too smug about
receiving a job offer, you can basically count on
the fact that you will not receive one.Even
with your "interesting extras," the attorneys at
the firm will need to feel that they like you and
that you will fit in before they extend an offer
to you. Clearly the firm feels that there may be
a good match based on your paperwork, and that is
why they are spending the time and money to fly
you out to them for face-to-face interviews. The
important thing for you to remember is that no
one hires a resume. What you say and how you
portray yourself and your skills as an attorney
will be the determining factor as to whether or
not you will receive a job offer. Good luck! See
the following articles for more informationThe
Best Way to Prepare for a Job Search and
Interviews Employers Want to Hire
You Interviewing Tips The Five Musts of
Interviewing
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How to Answer the Tell Me about Yourself
Interview Question How to Answer the Do You Have
Any Questions for Me? Interview Question 21
Major Job Interview Mistakes to Avoid at All
Costs This article 'If I Am Asked to
Interview, Does That Mean I Will Get an Offer?'
first appeared on BCG Attorney Search is widely
known to be the most selective recruiting firm in
terms of who it represents in the United States.
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